


Angel Baby

by LunaLovePotter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 14:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18236063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaLovePotter/pseuds/LunaLovePotter
Summary: Takes place in the Baby Series universe, on baby Gwen's first Christmas. Beware of fluff.





	Angel Baby

Harry lifted his eight month-old daughter from her crib early on Christmas Day. As always the little girl's eyes lit up when she saw him, and she gave him a joyful smile as she reached for his glasses, swiping at them with her fingertips. At Harry's feet sat Bartleby the cat, Gwen's constant companion and protector, his tail swishing across the floor and his eyes trained on the baby in Harry's arms. 

Harry pressed his lips to Gwen's soft head as he tucked a blanket around her legs. She already had a thick layer of ginger hair like her mother, and a cute sprinkling of freckles across her nose. "It's your first Christmas, you know that?" he whispered, bouncing her against his side. She giggled, batting his face with her hands. "And Santa Claus is going to be very good to you this year. Daddy made sure of it." He'd gone way overboard shopping for the baby, and while Ginny would probably not be happy about it (particularly about the replica Quidditch uniform he'd had made in Gryffindor colors similar to ones he had already bought for the twins), he simply couldn't help himself. He just loved to see his baby girl happy. 

He treasured this early morning time alone with his youngest child. He would never say that he preferred any one of his children to the others, but he felt a special closeness with Gwen. It still pained him more than he let on that she was different from her siblings, and that she would not have the same opportunities. Over the last few months he had thrown himself into the cause of promoting Squib rights, and when he wasn't playing Quidditch, he was active in plans for starting the school. Whenever he felt his resolve weakening due to all the Ministry red tape, it only took one glimpse of his daughter asleep in her crib or seeing her laugh as he tickled her belly to reinvigorate him all over again. He had to make the world a better place for her. 

"There you are." Ginny appeared in the doorway in her robe. "Mum and Dad just got here, they're with James and Sarah downstairs. Mum brought some food for breakfast. Ron owled, he and Hermione are on their way. They got a late start this morning."

"I'm surprised they're coming, since Hermione's going to have that baby any minute," Harry remarked. "No, I take that back. I'm not surprised." He met Ginny's eyes, and they shared a smile. 

"I wouldn't be surprised if she had the baby right here. Let's go downstairs." She extended her hand toward him. 

"Sure love, but in a minute." Harry took Gwen to the window, and held her up to look outside at the blanket of snow spread out all around the cottage. "That's snow, little one. When you're a bit older, we'll take you outside and build snowmen. And we'll have snowball fights." 

Ginny came up behind him and rested her head against his shoulder while she gazed at her daughter. Harry shifted the baby to his right arm, and then curled his left arm around his wife's waist, and gathered her close. She put her arm around his waist and leaned against him, their bodies fitting together easily. Harry kissed her hair, inhaling the scent of her strawberry shampoo.

"Remember when the twins were this age we found out that you were pregnant," he said, idly stroking her hip.

"Well, no such luck this time, I'm afraid." Ginny chuckled.

"And they were standing up." 

"You're not concerned because she's not standing up yet, are you?" Ginny asked intuitively. 

"Of course not." 

"Don't worry, she'll stand up when she's good and ready. The twins were more advanced for their age; this little one is perfectly normal." Her voice caught for a moment on the last word, and she cleared her throat.

"She wants to stand up; I've seen her try, she can't quite grab onto things yet."

"She will. She is a Potter, after all." 

With that, Gwen's hand shot out and quickly yanked Harry's glasses off his left ear. "Ouch!" 

"You see?" Ginny said with a grin. The baby giggled madly, kicking her legs against Harry's stomach as she held up her prize. "What a good girl you are!" Ginny declared, squeezing her daughter's foot. Gwen beamed, her eyes dancing with delight.

"She's got Seeker hands." Harry glanced at Ginny, who was giving him a questioning look. "Sorry, love, it's a reflex." He pried the glasses from the baby's fist, and resettled them on his nose.

"Mm hm. Now come on, let's go downstairs." 

"Hang on. Hold her for a minute, will you? I want to get something." Harry handed Ginny the baby, and then darted out of the room. He returned a moment later holding a small box. "I found this when I was out shopping in London the other day. The minute I saw it I knew I would get it for Gwen." 

"What is it?"

Harry opened the lid and lifted up a ceramic ornament in the shape of an angel; the angel had red hair and green eyes, and wore a long flowing white dress, with gold wings at her back. In her arms was a golden scroll, on which were the words: "Baby's First Christmas", and the year. 

"It's beautiful," Ginny smiled, meeting his eyes. "And it looks just like her." 

"Well she might never be able to fly, at least not the way we do, but she'll always be my little angel." 

"Of course she will." Ginny kissed him, and then kissed her daughter. 

 

* * * 

Downstairs, the cottage was bustling with activity. Ron and Hermione, who from the looks of it had just arrived, were taking off their coats; Molly had taken over the kitchen, from where delicious smells were now wafting along with the sounds of clanking pots; and Arthur was entertaining the twins and Liam with a toy airplane, holding it in his hand and making it swoop and dive around the room. The tree was sparkling, a fire blazed in the fireplace, and the dining table was laid with a festive red and green tablecloth. Snow was falling steadily outside the window. 

At exactly nine months pregnant, Hermione was huge and noticeably uncomfortable, although in typical fashion she made a big show at pretending she was perfectly fine. "Molly, are you sure I can't help you in the kitchen?" she called, even as she leaned on the back of the sofa to take the weight off her feet. 

"Nonsense, dear! You rest!" A cheerful voice called from the kitchen. 

"Hermione, please, just sit down," Ron insisted. "Mum can manage on her own, she's done it forever." 

"Well I just want to be useful," Hermione said, and although she didn't look too happy about it, she finally accepted Ron's arm and let him help her onto the sofa. 

"Well, there they are!" Arthur proclaimed upon spotting Harry and Ginny with Gwen at the foot of the stairs. He beamed and immediately set down the airplane. "Let me see my little marshmallow!" 

Gwen was equally delighted to see her grandfather; her eyes lit up as she went willingly into his arms. Ron, meanwhile took over flying the model airplane and added his own sound effects while dashing around the room with three excited toddlers on his heels. 

Harry went to hang the angel ornament on the tree, while Ginny joined Hermione on the sofa. She watched as Harry chose just the right branch for the angel with great care, making sure the ornament was plainly visible from every part of the room; he performed an anti-breakable charm, and then stepped back to admire his handiwork. Arthur brought Gwen over to join him, and the two men began talking together with the baby between them. It was then that Ginny noticed an additional pile of gifts stacked under the tree, that hadn't been there earlier. The boxes were wrapped in unfamiliar, and very fancy, red and green paper that was tied with gold ribbon. 

"Wow, you and Ron went all out," she remarked. "That's lovely wrapping paper. Did you get it in London?" 

"What?" Hermione looked up; she seemed distracted. 

"I mean, with the gifts." She gestured toward the tree.

"Oh no, those aren't ours," Hermione said. She was stroking her belly, while gazing into the fire. 

"Well then, where—?" Ginny broke off, and she looked across the room at Harry, who was now holding Gwen, and was proudly showing her the ornament. As if sensing her gaze, Harry glanced over at his wife. Ginny cocked her head, raised her eyebrows, and gestured toward the pile of presents. Harry shrugged, and smiled sheepishly. 

"I should have figured," Ginny said. That explained why he'd been so secretive last night, having insisted on being the one to look in on the children just before they'd gone to sleep.

"Hm, what?" Hermione said vaguely. 

Ginny placed a concerned hand on her sister-in-law's wrist. "Hermione, are you all right? Can I get you something?" 

"Actually, a cup of peppermint tea would be great. Thanks, Ginny." 

In the kitchen Molly was in her element, humming Celestina Warbeck under her breath as she prepared breakfast. 

"Hi Mum," Ginny offered, pausing to give her mother a kiss on the cheek as she went to find the tea. "I'm just getting Hermione some tea." 

"Good morning, dear. Oh goodness, you look tired – is the little one keeping you up again?" she remarked, referring to Ginny's struggles to get Gwen on a regular sleep cycle. At eight months, she had yet to sleep through the night.

"Sort of. Gwen pretty much keeps her own schedule, but she'll adjust." Ginny got a mug from the cabinet, and put a kettle on to boil. 

"Is something else wrong, dear?" 

"No, nothing's wrong, why?" 

"You seem a bit distracted. You and Harry aren't having a row?"

"Everything's fine, mum. Really." Ginny paused, and then continued. "Harry really went overboard with the gifts this year. He snuck another big pile under the tree last night." 

Molly chuckled warmly. "He always does go a bit overboard when it comes to the children, doesn't he? He loves to spoil them." 

"Yes he does." Ginny glanced into the living room. Harry had now joined Ron in entertaining the twins and Liam; Arthur had Gwen, and he was showing her around the tree. The baby took great interest in the lights and ornaments and repeatedly tried to pull them off the branches only to be gently thwarted by her grandfather. Hermione appeared to have dozed off on the sofa with her arms curled around her stomach. 

"But that's not really what you're worried about, is it; that Harry will spoil them too much?"

Ginny folded her arms across her front. "Not exactly, " she said. 

"What do you mean?"

"It's Gwen. I'm afraid he's overcompensating with her, because of…" she broke off. The water was boiling so she began to prepare the tea; she took out another mug and prepared one for herself as well. "He's blaming himself, so he feels like he has to overindulge Gwen, at the expense of Sarah and James." 

"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. This is Harry – he'll love her no matter what, the same way he loves the twins."

"Well that's kind of why I'm worrying about it. Because he'll love her too much, and eventually she'll start to think there's something wrong with her." 

"I don't think that's possible, dear. The way I see it, you can never love your child too much." Molly smiled, and planted a gentle kiss on Ginny's head. "It will be fine. Now come on, breakfast is almost ready and then we'll open gifts." 

Ginny thought about this as she and Harry put the twins and Gwen in their high chairs, and then joined the family at the table; particularly, the part about being able to love her children 'too much'. Until she became a mother she never could have anticipated feeling anything greater than what she felt for Harry, or her parents and siblings. But now, with three children, her capacity to love knew no bounds. She wanted James, Sarah, and Gwen to have everything they needed; to be safe; to be happy; and of course, to be healthy and loved. She felt both invincible and profoundly vulnerable when it came to her family. 

"Are you all right, love? You've been quiet." Harry leaned over and spoke quietly in her ear, his voice easily concealed by the voices of their family as food was passed around the table. A small line of worry creased his forehead. 

Ginny meant to say 'I'm fine'; the last thing she wanted to do was disrupt the holiday mood. But instead she said: "It's the presents, Harry. It's too much." 

"I know it is, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I love buying her things." 

"Is that all it is?" 

"What do you mean?"

"Is that the real reason you're buying her all these extra presents, just because you like to do it?"

"Of course it is, what else—?" Harry paused. "Hang on, you don't think I'm spoiling her more because—" 

"Honestly, I don't know what to think."

"Is everything all right, you two?" Molly called from the end of the table. Across from them, Ron gave them a curious look.

Harry straightened. "Yes, thanks, we're fine. Excuse me for a minute, will you?" He went into the kitchen, with the eyes of the entire family on him as he left. Then Ginny followed. 

When she came into the kitchen, he rounded on her. "All right Gin, tell me what's so bad about spoiling my children on Christmas."

"Calm down, it's not that at all. It's more that you've always been so much against this kind of conspicuous consumption, Harry. Even with the twins; you buy them things, but it's never really 'too much'; you know when to stop. I'm concerned that you won't know when to stop when it comes to Gwen, and even more than that I worry about why."

Instead of becoming defensive, as she'd expected, a look of quiet resignment fell over Harry's face. "I want her to have everything," he said. 

"To make up for what she doesn't have," Ginny finished. "We've talked about this. Just because she's a squib, doesn't mean she's any more deprived than we are. She'll have a different life, that's all. I don't know how else to say it." 

"I know that. At least, I think I do." Harry sighed. "When she's older, she's going to realize that she's different. She's going to want to know why that is, and it kills me that I can't explain it to her, other than to say that there is no explanation." 

"So you're satisfying yourself by overwhelming her with gifts, and attention." 

"She has to know she's loved, no matter what."

"Harry, she knows." Ginny smiled lightly, and leaned in to kiss him. "You're blaming yourself for this, and you have to stop. It hurts me to see you torture yourself over something you can't possibly control." 

He took her face in his hands, and gazed into her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'll take the gifts back." 

"No, don't do that. It's her first Christmas. But promise me you'll try to restrain yourself."

"I promise." 

"Good. Now let's go have some breakfast." Ginny extended her hand, and the two of them started back toward the dining room. 

But then Ron appeared in the doorway, looking excited. "Erm, sorry to interrupt you two, but I'm afraid that breakfast is going to have to wait. Hermione's in labor!" 

Harry and Ginny exchanged knowing looks. "I knew it," Ginny said, and smiled.


End file.
